Tomales Point

Cliffs at Tomales Point

9.5 miles round trip, 1200 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy-moderate, some brushy vegetation towards the end of the hike
Access: Decent paved road to trailhead, no fee required

Tomales Point is a windswept peninsula that marks the northernmost point of Northern California's Point Reyes National Seashore, reachable by an enjoyable hike with wildflowers, plentiful wildlife, and views of majestic sea cliffs along the way. This is one of the better hikes in the San Francisco Bay Area and it is no secret: on weekends, the parking area is packed and you'll find plenty of company on this fairly lengthy but still fairly easy hike to see elk and whales on this treeless strip of land between Tomales Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The trail does get quite brushy towards the end, making the last stretch of the hike somewhat more difficult than the start but guaranteeing slightly thinner crowds at the tip of the peninsula. Despite its popularity, this hike's many charms means that all Bay Area hikers should make it out here at least once.

I hiked to Tomales Point with Anna and a visiting friend I knew from Seattle on a breezy and sunny May day. Spring is an excellent time to visit as Point Reyes National Seashore is well known for its wildflower displays. From San Francisco, we followed US 101 north to San Anselmo, where we exited onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard heading west and then followed that road through twist and turns past Fairfax and Samuel Taylor State Park until it merged with California Highway 1 at Olema. Here, we turned right to head north on Highway 1, then turned left again onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard when it forked to the left about two miles north of Olema. We then followed Sir Francis Drake Boulevard for 6 miles past the town of Inverness, continuing until the road climbed up a hill. At the top of the hill, we followed signs for Tomales Bay State Park and turned right onto Pierce Point Road; we then followed Pierce Point Road north for about 8 miles through rolling grasslands to Pierce Point Ranch, which is the trailhead for the Tomales Point hike. There is parking for about 20 cars in a parking lot next to the ranch and additional parking for about 50 more cars along a line of trees by the road. There are no public restrooms at the trailhead. 

The trail starts out next to Pierce Point Ranch, which during the 19th and 20th centuries was one of the many dairy ranches of Marin County and Point Reyes. During the California Gold Rush, the hills and valleys of Marin County became home to many dairy ranches, where grazing cows supplied milk, butter, and cheese to the rapidly growing city of San Francisco. Many dairy operations are still operational with Point Reyes National Seashore, having been grandfathered in at the time of establishment of the park. Many of Marin County's dairy farms are still of national renown: award winning cheeses have come from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, the Marin French Cheese Company, and Nicasio Valley Cheese Company.

The trail wrapped around the western edge of the ranch, passing through a line of trees before turning towards the coast. The Pacific Ocean came into view less than a fifth of a mile into the hike, with stunning views of the crescent sands of McClure's Beach and waves crashing against the headland at the beach's southern end.

Overlooking McClure's Beach

Some of the best coastal views of the hike came soon after, as the trail emerged atop headlands directly above the coast. Looking north, we had great views of the stunning 400-foot tall cliffs that defined the western edge of the continent. Some hikers turn around here- while there's much more to come later in the hike, it's hard to argue that few such coastal views can come with so little effort. Wildflowers bloomed profusely in the grassy slopes beneath the trail, creating a stunning constrast between floral and aquatic colors. The yellow lupine blooming along the trail was particularly notable. This brilliant stretch of trail was brief and after about a third of a mile of sweeping views, we began heading inland and descending.

Cliffs along the trail to Tomales Point

As we descended into Windy Gap at one mile from the trailhead, we spotted a herd of tule elk, the resident herd of Tomales Point. Tule elk were once found throughout the state of California but were nearly driven to extinction by the late-nineteenth century, when only a herd of thirty remained near Bakersfield. In the 1970s, an effort was launched to reintroduce tule elk to Point Reyes and a herd was brought to Tomales Point; the reintroduction has been extremely successful and the population of the herd has grown since the elk were brought here.

Resident elk herd

Past Windy Gap, the trail made a short but steep ascent to gain the top of the ridge running along the peninsula. Atop the ridge, it was possible to tell that we were on a long, pointy stretch of land: the Pacific was visible to one side and Tomales Bay was visible to the east. However, the trail stayed away from the headlands on both sides of the peninsula, keeping views somewhat more limited than they had been in the trail's opening mile. 

Tomales Point's unique shape is a result of the interesting geology of Tomales Bay: Tomales Bay is the point of land where the San Andreas Fault exits the ocean and begins to run across the California landmass. Most of Point Reyes National Seashore- including Tomales Point- lie on land that is now traveling with Pacific Plate rather than the North American plate. The straight boundaries of Tomales Bay are defined by the San Andreas Fault directly.

This trail atop the ridge was fairly flat as we headed north. This was perhaps the least interesting mile of the hike, as we primarily saw grasses on either side of the trail with water only in the distance. We spotted a few more elk heads poking above the grasses at intervals.

At 2.2 miles from the trailhead, the trail reached a grassy knoll with broad views to the north of the northernmost reaches of the peninsula. From here, we had our first views of the rocky cliffs that hemmed in the tapering Tomales Point, offshore Bird Island, and the mountainous coast that stretched northward to Bodega Bay.

Looking down the peninsula to Tomales Point

Past this high point, the trail descended gently but steadily over the next mile until reaching another saddle. Up until this point, the trail had generally been fairly obvious and wide, but it abruptly faded out here and became quite overgrown and faint. The direction of travel was obvious since we knew we had to go further down the peninsula, but we frequently found ourselves trying to figure out the correct route forward and battle through overgrown brush at multiple points. We spotted a wild turkey while we were battling the vegetation here, adding to the menagerie that we spotted on this hike.

Wild turkey

The faint trail ascended slightly before flattening out and continuing up the peninsula, eventually becoming a bit more defined as it passed through some fields of spring wildflowers, including some yellow lupine. Views back towards the south were impressive: we could see the high cliffs below the slopes where we had been hiking earlier. The trail also offered good views of Bird Island, a barren island on the Pacific side of the peninsula that was covered with snowy-white guano. Even from a distance, we could hear the cacophany of seabird calls from the island.

Wildflowers and sea cliffs on the way to Tomales Point

Bird Island

At about 4.25 miles from the trailhead, the trail passed through some sandy patches and then began its final descent down to the very tip of Tomales Point. 

Wildflowers and sandy trail

The end of the trail was visible through the final descent: we could see the land ending ahead of us, with the vast waters of the Pacific and Bodega Bay lying to the north. As the trail approached land's end, we finally had some close-up views of the dramatic seaside cliffs of the peninsula. Violent waves from the Pacific pounded the rocks, chipping away gradually at the continent.

Cliffs near Tomales Point

Finally, after 4.75 miles of hiking, we arrived at the very tip of Tomales Point. The peninsula tapered off and then faded into the ocean here. The tip of the peninsula provided the hike's only views of cliffs on the east side of Tomales Point.

View into Tomales Bay

From the end of the trail at Tomales Point, we could gaze out on one side to the wild coastline of Bodega Bay and on the other side to open expanse of the Pacific. Waves thundered against the rocky shore, sending aloft a passing constellation of surf. Bodega Head emerged from the coastal mist in the distance, marking the north end of the bay; the nearby town of Bodega Bay was the setting of Hitchcock's The Birds. 

Land's end at Tomales Point

We sat at this land's end for the better part of an hour, gazing out onto the Pacific and spotting various wildlife. Pelicans flew below us, gliding just above the churning Pacific waters; a humpback whale entertained us offshore, alternatively bringing its back and its tail above the surface of the ocean. 

Pelicans flying above the surf at Tomales Point

Whale tail and Bodega Bay

We enjoyed the views for an extended time before heading back and dealing with the stretches of brushy trail. This was a rare wildlife trail that allowed us to see a turkey, a whale, and a herd of elk on the same trip. The incredible, open ocean views make it one of the better hikes along the California coast and probably the most enjoyable hike around Point Reyes- don't miss it.

Barney Lake

Kettle Peak rises above Little Slide Canyon and the aspens of Robinson Canyon

8 miles round trip, 1250 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy-moderate

Access: Paved road to trailhead, Mono Village parking fee required

The hike up Robinson Canyon to Barney Lake is one of the Sierra Nevada's great fall hikes, but this trail gets surprisingly little attention compared to the busier autumn hikes further south in the Eastern Sierra at June Lake, Mammoth Lakes, and the Bishop Creek watershed. This is a slightly long hike that is generally fairly flat save an ascent through one of the Sierra Nevada's loveliest aspen groves at its end, and travels from the touristy Mono Village area at the end of the Twin Lakes Road outside Bridgeport to Barney Lake, a pretty subalpine lake situated near some of the most impressive peaks of the Sierra Nevada north of Tioga Pass. Although not necessarily exciting the whole way, the views that this hike does provide of Barney Lake, rugged Little Slide Canyon, and the many aspen groves that are ablaze with color each fall make this a worthwhile hike, especially in early October when the trees are changing color.

I hiked to Barney Lake on a clear and lovely early October day; the leaves here generally peak around the second weekend of October. The trailhead is a short drive outside of Bridgeport but is far from any major metro area; Bridgeport itself is situated off US 395, a four hour drive from the Bay Area, reachable via either Highways 108 or 120 from the Central Valley. From Bridgeport, I took Twin Lakes Road, which split off from US 395 at the west end of town and headed south; I followed Twin Lakes Road through Bridgeport Valley into the Sierra, enjoying the incredible views of Sawtooth Ridge the entire way. I drove past Lower Twin Lake and then reached Annett's Mono Village at the far end of Upper Twin Lake, at the far end of Twin Lakes Road. There is a designated parking area within Mono Village for day hikers and backpackers not too far from the entrance of the complex, close to the shores of Upper Twin Lake.

A fee is required for day hikers and backpackers to park within Mono Village, as it is a privately owned pocket within Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. However, day hikers may find it possible to find parking along the Twin Lakes Road prior to arriving at the entrance of Mono Village and then walking into and through Mono Village to reach the trailhead. Mono Village- a popular campground and RV hangout- does have flush bathrooms that make this a bit more of a luxurious trailhead.

Sawtooth Ridge rises above Lower Twin Lake

From the hiker parking lot next to the lake, I followed the main road of the campground to the back of the campground, where the dirt road skirted the northern edge of a broad, flat meadow. There was a glimpse of Mount Walt, one of the spires of Sawtooth Ridge, rising to the south from this meadow. Here, the dirt road transitioned to trail as it re-entered the forest, initally remaining quite flat.

Mount Walt rises over a meadow near Annett's Mono Village

At 0.7 miles, the trail passed a wilderness signboard and then began to ascend steadily through the forest for the next mile. The trail flattened out at 1.7 miles, exiting the forest for the broad, grassy bottom of Robinson Canyon. From here until the end of the hike, the scenery along the trail through Robinson Canyon was continuously excellent.

Aspens in Robinson Canyon

The grasslands at the base of Robinson Canyon were punctuated frequently by aspen groves. In early October, many of the groves in the lower parts of the canyon were still mostly green, although there were tinges of yellow and orange on the trees. The rocky canyon walls provided consistent framing for the lovely fall scenery.

Aspen color

Robinson Canyon

At 2.6 miles into the hike, the trail came to Robinson Canyon's junction with Little Slide Canyon. Little Slide Canyon is one of the most dramatic side canyons to Robinson Canyon: great granite walls, including those of Kettle Peak, rise above this gash in the mountains. There were good views up the canyons from a few consecutive stretches of meadow, each of which were lined with aspen groves displaying their full fall golden colors.

Kettle Peak and Little Slide Canyon

After leaving the views of Little Slide Canyon, the trail began to ascend gently again. The trail came close to Robinson Creek at 2.8 miles at the head of the canyon, passing by a small cascade on the creek. Now at the end of the canyon, the trail began its most extensive uphill climb. In the next mile, the trail climbed about 500 feet as it ascended along Robinson Creek towards the basin holding Barney Lake.

Cascades on Robinson Creek

The lower part of this ascent focused on crossing a rocky and brush-choked slope by a series of switchbacks, but the trail soon ascended into an expansive aspen grove that spread over much of the mountain slope above Robinson Creek. The trees in the lower part of this grove were a bit stunted and short, but much better fall foliage lay ahead. As I ascended, views began to open up down the valley of Robinson Creek of the landscape that I had hiked through so far that day.

Climbing out of Robinson Canyon

As I continued ascending, the aspens along the trail became more and more impressive. The upper parts of this aspen grove were among the most splendid of all aspen groves that I've encountered in the Sierra Nevada: the trees grew tall and densely and the entire grove had simultaneously displayed their golden coat as they prepared for winter. As sun's rays streamed through the aspen leaves I found myself bathed in a glowing golden light; it was an unforgettable autumn moment.

Golden aspens at the head of Robinson Canyon

One particularly delightful find in this autumn wonderland was a blooming Indian Paintbrush, a touch of spring on the floor of the fall forest.

Spring and autumn: Paintbrush blooming amidst the golden aspens

The switchbacks ended by the 3.3 mile mark of the hike, but the trail continued to ascend towards Barney Lake's basin through the glorious aspens. After passing by the base of some rocky bluffs, the trail finally leveled out and some final flat hiking brought me to a junction, where the left fork led down to a beach at the northern end of Barney Lake.

Fiery aspens

Crown Peak rose splendidly above Barney Lake; the lakeshore was colorful with spots of aspen fall color mixed with the autumn colors of bushes and other lower lying vegetation. The lakeshore was sandy and the lake seemed pretty shallow. On the day of my visit, calm weather allowed the lake surface to be almost completely placid, providing stunning reflections of Crown Peak. While the lake is lovely, the fall colors here were not quite as extraordinary as those encountered earlier amongst the aspen groves of Robinson Canyon.

Barney Lake

After enjoying the lake, I retraced my steps to the trailhead, stopping frequently in the aspen groves that were now brightly illuminated by the midday sun. I had the lake entirely to myself and didn't see any other hikers that day until I was on my way back to the trailhead; however, I did come on a Monday so it's possible that weekends might provide a little less solitude. Regardless, I found this to be a lovely and refreshing fall hike in the Sierras.

Timber Top

Cone Peak and the Big Sur coast from Boronda Ridge

6 miles round trip, 2550 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Moderate-strenuous

Access: Paved road to trailhead, no fee required

The steep trail along Boronda Ridge to the summit of Timber Top offers some of the finest views of California’s Big Sur Coast. This hike up an exposed, grassy ridge that rises precipitously from the Pacific offers sweeping views out onto the ocean and both north and south along the coast, with a summit view that extends from Point Sur to Cone Peak. As a bonus, this extremely scenic hike pulls few visitors despite being in an extremely popular stretch of the California Coast, helped in part by an unmarked trailhead. The precipitousness and openness of this terrain has its drawbacks though: the Boronda Trail is very steep throughout and the exposed ridge can become an oven under direct sun. Winter and spring are the best seasons, when the vegetation is greener and temperatures are moderate; summer conditions are generally too punishing for visiting this ridge’s coastal panoramas. While lovely, this hike also has far less variety than hikes such as Vicente Flat or the Cruickshank Trail, as the Boronda Trail eschews the redwood forests that are common along many Big Sur hikes.

The Boronda Trail to Timber Top is less brushy than the average Big Sur trail, although there are still stretches around the start and at the summit where vegetation can close in around the trail. Thus, poison oak is somewhat less of a concern here than elsewhere in Big Sur, although ticks remain a concern along the grassy trail. Hiking poles can help ameliorate the extremely steep descent on the return leg of the hike.

I hiked the Timber Top with a group of three friends on a sunny and warm February Sunday. To reach the trailhead, which is between the village of Big Sur and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, we followed Highway 1 south from the Monterey Peninsula past the village of Big Sur. A half mile after passing COAST Big Sur café, we pulled over and parked along the ocean side of the road, across Highway 1 from an unmarked trailhead with a gate. There was no signage whatsoever for the trailhead, so it was necessary to come with knowledge of where to find it. There was parking for over 20 cars on either side of the road, although I had no trouble finding parking when I came. There are no bathrooms at the trailhead.

Crossing to the east side of Highway 1, we passed through the gate to start up the Boronda Trail. The road trace of the Boronda Trail started out in a greener patch of trees but almost immediately climbed out and emerged onto open grassy slopes. A steady if not yet aggressive ascent quickly lifted the trail above Highway 1 and by the time we reached the trail’s second switchback turn at a quarter mile into the hike, there were great views over the beaches along the Big Sur Coast below and the ridges that dropped to the coast to both the northwest and southeast.

Overlook of a Big Sur beach

The trail used a few switchbacks over the next few hundred meters to climb up the ocean-facing slopes of the Santa Lucia Range, with lovely views along the coast that extended all the way to Pfeiffer Point in the northwest. As the trail turned inland for a stretch, we caught our first glimpse of the Coast Ridge ahead of us, with Timber Top one minor summit along that crest. The high slopes of the ridge were generally dry and grassy but we could also see forests of coast redwoods filling the gullies eroded into the mountain slopes.

View over Highway 1

At 0.8 miles from the trailhead, the Boronda Trail returned to the spine of Boronda Ridge, ascending steeply uphill along this exposed, grassy ridge. An aggressive stretch of uphill brought us to a grove of oaks on the right side of the trail that provided some welcome relief from the intense sun on the exposed slopes. The views here began to extend much farther south along the coast, encompassing miles of Santa Lucia ridges dropping down to the blue Pacific.

Magnificent coastal views along the Boronda Trail

Highway 1 winds along the Big Sur coast

This stretch of trail featured the most direct views of the coast, as the trail was following a ridge that paralleled the coast. The higher that we hiked, the more spectacular and precipitious the drop down the steep slopes of Boronda Ridge to the Pacific. At points, it almost seemed as if we could look straight down to see Highway 1 and the Ocean. The astounding views made the steep and direct ascent feel easier than it actually was.

Big Sur Coast from Boronda Ridge

Overhead view of Highway 1 and the Big Sur coast

At 1.4 miles, the trail made a sharp right turn and began following the ridge inland. The coast became more distant, although from our high vantage point now over 1800 feet above sea level we could gaze far out onto the Pacific. The trail continued its steep uphill climb along the ridge, although the high crest of the Coast Ridge now dominated the view before us. Golden eagles circled overhead, scanning the ridges and canyons for prey.

Golden eagle flies over Boronda Ridge

At around 2 miles into the hike, the trail passed through a set of switchbacks that dipped the trail into a wooded ravine, which provided a welcome respite from the constant sun on the open slopes. The top of the switchbacks brought the trail back to the backbone of Boronda Ridge, which continued its grueling and endless descent towards Timber Top.

Boronda Trail

The trail's steep ascent along a ridge put us above one of Big Sur's signature lush coastal canyons. The canyon to our north, like many along the Big Sur coast, nestled a handful of coast redwoods. The coast redwood is the tallest tree species on the planet but the specimens around Big Sur are generally much smaller, as Big Sur is the far southern end of the species' range.

Redwoods and the Pacific

The contrast of the lush canyons and the arid ridgelines was nowhere more stark than a stretch of trail where I found a handful of agave blooming under the hot sun. Only in Big Sur do climate zones intersect in such a way that coast redwoods- which demand moisture to grow- can coexist within a few hundred yards of desert succulents.

Agave

At 2.5 miles, the trail flattened out a bit and wrapped around a wooded gully before it returned to the spine of the ridge for a final ascent. The constant uphill in exposed conditions made the ascent up to this point quite challenging and would likely make the conditions intolerable on hot summer days.

Approaching the summit of Timber Top

A final push up a last steep, grassy rise brought me to the flatter region atop the ridge, where the trail turned to the right and passed through a wooden fence. Just before crossing the fence, I had the very best views of the hike: from this point, I could gaze over 70 miles out onto the Pacific Ocean and could see down the rugged coast all the way to Cone Peak, the highest point directly along the Pacific coast in the contiguous United States. Cone Peak rises a vertical mile from the Pacific in less than 3 miles from the coast.

Big Sur Coast from Boronda Trail

View over the Pacific

The trail petered out at Timber Top Camp, just under 3 miles from the trailhead. Here, there was a grill and picnic table and a grassy area for tents. A faint path continued beyond Timber Top Camp- it was worth taking this path to get closer to the high point on Timber Top to unlock slightly wider views. The path was quite brushy and led uphill for another hundred meters, passing a water tank and then reaching a small rocky outcrop along a madrone-topped ridgeline. We ended our hike here: the rocks provided a pleasant, tick-free resting spot with nice views.

From this rocky outcrop, we had partial views of the ocean and Cone Peak that we had enjoyed on the way up; the vista in the direction of the ocean was not impressive as the many views that we had on the Boronda Trail. However, the view was wider here and encompassed other portions of the Big Sur Coast. Notably, we could see much of the coast to the Northwest: Pfeiffer Point’s remarkable headland, the faraway almost-island of Point Sur, and the tall peaks of Mount Manuel and Cabezo Prieto rising on the other side of Big Sur River’s canyon. Towards the interior of the Ventana Wilderness, we enjoyed views of the rocky forms of Kandlbinder Peak and Ventana Double Cone; the rest of the Santa Lucia Range was more rounded and chaparral-covered and was somewhat less impressive.

Pfeiffer Point, Point Sur, and Mount Manuel

Point Sur and the Coast Ridge Road

Cone Peak and the Coast Ridge Road from the summit of Timber Top

Ventana Double Cone from the summit of Timber Top

We enjoyed these remarkable views of Big Sur and Ventana Wilderness before leisurely backtracking downhill to the trailhead and returning to the Bay Area for a well-deserved all-you-can-eat hot pot. All in all, I enjoyed this hike immensely. While lacking the diversity of scenery of many other Big Sur hikes, Timber Top's stellar views still make this one of the best hikes along this stretch of the California coast.

Bennettville and Shell Lake

Mount Conness rising above Shell Lake

2.2 miles round trip, 400 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy
Access: Paved road to trailhead, no entrance fee required to access from Lee Vining

The ghost town of Bennettville and alpine Shell Lake are two surprisingly overlooked destinations just a short drive from Tioga Pass outside Yosemite National Park in California's Sierra Nevada. Technically in Inyo National Forest, this short and easy hike visits some spectacular alpine scenery and is a worthy leg-stretcher for those driving Tioga Road. The combination of history and dramatic alpine scenery make this a particularly worthwhile short hike.

While there is technically no fee to park at the trailhead, many hikers will arrive via Tioga Road from Yosemite National Park and thus will have to pay the Yosemite entrance fee. The only way to avoid paying the fee is to approach on Highway 120 from Lee Vining and not entering Yosemite National Park.

I hiked to Bennettville and Shell Lake during a July visit to Tioga Pass after a year of record-breaking snow. The trailhead is just off of Highway 120, about 2 miles east from the Tioga Pass entrance of Yosemite National Park and 10 miles west of the junction of Tioga Road and US 395 in Lee Vining. From Lee Vining, follow Highway 120 west and uphill for ten miles, turning left onto Saddlebag Lake Road just after passing Ellery Lake. Cross Lee Vining Creek on Saddlebag Road and then immediately pull over to the parking area on the left side of the road when you come to the fork for Junction Campground. There is no day use parking inside the campground itself; the parking lot just outside the campground can accommodate around 10 cars. There's no restroom at the trailhead but pit toilets can be found with a short walk into Junction Campground.

To start the hike from the parking area, I followed the road into Junction Campground across a bridge over Lee Vining Creek. There were beautiful views to the south from this bridge of the alpine meadows at Junction Campground and of snow-capped Mount Dana, the highest peak in the Tioga Pass area.

Mount Dana rising above Lee Vining Creek

Immediately after crossing the bridge into Junction Campground, I took the trail that branched off to the right of the road and followed Lee Vining Creek: a sign at the start of the trail read "Bennettville Loop." I started following this trail, which initially followed the lush, forested banks of Lee Vining Creek with a peek of pointy North Peak in the distance.

North Peak and Lee Vining Creek

About 50 meters along the creek, the trail turned to the left and climbed very briefly, leaving the creek behind and traversing a forested slope above Junction Campground; the campsites in the campground were visible directly below. After continuing to travel further through the forest, the trail came to Mine Creek at 0.3 miles. 

For the next 0.4 miles, the trail followed Mine Creek, alternating between short ascents and stretches of flat trail. During my visit, snowmelt was near peak and Mine Creek was a riotous cascade that plunged through the rocky gorge next to the trail. Views of snowy peaks rising ahead of the trail and Mount Dana's great pyramidal peak to the south made this gentle ascent quite enjoyable. The views of the snowy Sierra crest just to the west were also lovely, with many waterfalls plunging down the mountainsides, fed by the summer snowmelt.

Cascading Mine Creek

Waterfalls coming off the Sierra Crest

At just under 0.8 miles, the trail reached Bennettville, one of the two main destinations of this hike. Two cabins stood at the site of this former town; it's not so much a ghost town as simply a former townsite, as most of the buildings are long gone. Mount Dana's snow-cloaked summit rose impressively across the valley.

Today, these two restored cabins and a handful of abandoned mining equipment scattered across the nearby landscape are the primary reminders of the town of Bennettville. This ghost town was once a High Sierra mining district known as Tioga that prompted the construction of Tioga Road from the Big Oak Flat area as a route for delivering mining equipment; a town popped up in these alpine environs but the mines never truly struck it rich and were eventually abandoned. However, the road over the Sierra crest remained and became today's cross-Sierra Highway 120. 

The name Tioga- which today is so thoroughly associated with the pass connecting the Tuolumne River watershed to the Lee Vining Creek watershed- is actually named for the Tioga River and associated counties in the Allegheny Plateau area of north central Pennsylvania and upstate New York; the name itself is borrowed from the languages of the tribes that lived in the area. Emigrants from the region who headed west during the Gold Rush years brought the Tioga name to the Sierra Nevada. I was always curious while growing up at the connection between the two names, as I both loved hiking in California and also would frequently drive by Tioga Counties in Pennsylvania and New York on my way from Virginia to Rochester in upstate New York; it was surprising to find out that the two places did share a common name origin. 

Restored Bennettsville cabins and Mount Dana

I explored the two cabins, which were both open to the public; these cabins had clearly been restored to some degree, compared to similar wooden structures at Bodie. The larger of the cabins was two stories, although the insides of both structures were empty.

Leaving Bennettville, I followed the trail gently uphill another fifth of a mile to reach Shell Lake. The trail paralleled Mine Creek closely and began to emerge from the forest as it approached Shell Lake. Glorious alpine views of Mount Conness to the north and Mount Dana to the south opened up and soon I spotted Shell Lake itself.

Mount Conness rising above Shell Lake and Mine Creek

Wildflowers, including alpine laurel and heather, were blooming near the lake, a welcome sign that summer had arrived in the High Sierra.

Alpine laurel

At 1.1 miles, the trail reached the shore of Shell Lake, following the eastern shore of the lake. I ended my hike at a small peninsula at the midpoint of the narrow lake, with views of Mount Conness rising above the lake to one side and Mount Dana rising to the other end. Dana and Conness are among Yosemite's most spectacular and notable peaks: Dana is the park's second highest peak (after Mount Lyell) while Conness is the highest peak north of Tioga Pass in the Sierra Nevada. The views of the lake were idyllic on both sides, with the mountains rising above calm waters encircled by a shoreline of lush vegetation broken by areas of rock.

Shell Lake and Mount Dana

The trail continues a half mile past Shell Lake to Fantail Lake, which lies in the Harvey Monroe Hall Research Natural Area. I did this hike while recovering from a foot injury, so Shell Lake was enough adventure for me for the day; for those willing to go further, there should be minimal additional elevation gain on the trail to Fantail Lake. The Hall Natural Area is a special designation that sets aside the landscape around Mount Conness on the eastern side of the Sierra Crest as a research area for longitudinal studies.

To return to my car, I retraced my steps back past Bennettville. Overall, I was surprised by this hike's combination of excellent scenery and easy hiking; in fact, I found it far more scenic than the alpine lake hikes in the Tuolumne Meadows area within Yosemite, while having far fewer hikers.